Make-Your-Own wrapping paper

Meghan Leimenstoll, For the Baltimore Sun Media Group

Raise your hand if you have a slew of miscellaneous rolls of Christmas wrapping paper shoved in the back of a dark closet. I most definitely do. This Christmas season, recruit your tiny artists and "upcycle" materials you already have in your house to create adorable and heartfelt packages for your loved ones. MATERIALS: Packing paper, brown paper grocery bags or roll of easel paper Crayons Markers Stamps Stickers Embellishments: Knitting Yarn, Twine, Ribbon, Tape, Duct Tape DIRECTIONS: 1. Roll out your paper flat on the floor. 2. Let your child experiment with different mediums. Washable crayons are perfect for tiny toddlers, while older kids can really have fun with paint and stamps. 3. Allow your crafted paper to dry (if needed). 4. Wrap gifts and embellish with kitchen twine, patterned duct tape or knitting yarn. 5. Bonus: If you have a child that cranks out a lot of artwork throughout the year, have him/her choose a few masterpieces to use as wrapping paper for gifts this year. The grandparents will go bananas for a gift wrapped in a gift! 6. Use this technique throughout the year for other holidays such as Hanukkah, birthdays and Mother's Day.

Raise your hand if you have a slew of miscellaneous rolls of Christmas wrapping paper shoved in the back of a dark closet. I most definitely do. This Christmas season, recruit your tiny artists and "upcycle" materials you already have in your house to create adorable and heartfelt packages for your loved ones. MATERIALS: Packing paper, brown paper grocery bags or roll of easel paper Crayons Markers Stamps Stickers Embellishments: Knitting Yarn, Twine, Ribbon, Tape, Duct Tape DIRECTIONS: 1. Roll out your paper flat on the floor. 2. Let your child experiment with different mediums. Washable crayons are perfect for tiny toddlers, while older kids can really have fun with paint and stamps. 3. Allow your crafted paper to dry (if needed). 4. Wrap gifts and embellish with kitchen twine, patterned duct tape or knitting yarn. 5. Bonus: If you have a child that cranks out a lot of artwork throughout the year, have him/her choose a few masterpieces to use as wrapping paper for gifts this year. The grandparents will go bananas for a gift wrapped in a gift! 6. Use this technique throughout the year for other holidays such as Hanukkah, birthdays and Mother's Day. (Meghan Leimenstoll, For the Baltimore Sun Media Group)

Raise your hand if you have a slew of miscellaneous rolls of Christmas wrapping paper shoved in the back of a dark closet. I most definitely do. This Christmas season, recruit your tiny artists and "upcycle" materials you already have in your house to create adorable and heartfelt packages for your loved ones. MATERIALS: Packing paper, brown paper grocery bags or roll of easel paper Crayons Markers Stamps Stickers Embellishments: Knitting Yarn, Twine, Ribbon, Tape, Duct Tape DIRECTIONS: 1. Roll out your paper flat on the floor. 2. Let your child experiment with different mediums. Washable crayons are perfect for tiny toddlers, while older kids can really have fun with paint and stamps. 3. Allow your crafted paper to dry (if needed). 4. Wrap gifts and embellish with kitchen twine, patterned duct tape or knitting yarn. 5. Bonus: If you have a child that cranks out a lot of artwork throughout the year, have him/her choose a few masterpieces to use as wrapping paper for gifts this year. The grandparents will go bananas for a gift wrapped in a gift! 6. Use this technique throughout the year for other holidays such as Hanukkah, birthdays and Mother's Day.